Here we are, ladies and gentlemen. The best part of the offseason has arrived.
That would be the NFL Draft. This is the chance for all 32 teams to draft long-term franchise cornerstone pieces that could be the ultimate difference-makers in a Super Bowl championship quest.
So let’s get down to it and dive into our final 2024 NFL first-round mock draft.
1. Chicago Bears (From Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams
Shocker, we know.
Almost every mock draft in the book has had this penciled in since the Bears secured the No. 1 pick. It will be made official on April 25th in the evening. See you there.
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels
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It’s Daniels, Drake Maye or JJ McCarthy here.
As we’ve said before, the dual-threat sensation out of LSU is the best fit among the three for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Daniels is a day one starter who could immediately restore relevance to a once-proud Washington franchise.
3. Minnesota Vikings (Projected Trade With New England Patriots): Drake Maye
Projected trade alert! The Vikings acquire the No. 3 pick from New England in exchange for the No. 11 and No. 23 picks, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 third-round selection.
With that pick, Minnesota secures its new franchise QB in Drake Maye. The North Carolian product will be in a good spot to produce immediately with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson as his weapons.
For Kevin O’Connell and company, the risk is worth it.
4. New York Giants (Projected Trade With Arizona Cardinals): JJ McCarthy
Projected trade alert part II! The Giants acquire the No. 4 pick from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the No. 6 and No. 70 picks plus a 2025 fourth-round draft pick.
And with that, the Giants finally begin the plan to ditch Daniel Jones and build around a new guy in JJ McCarthy. The latter can sit for a year if he’s not NFL-ready, buying more time for GM Joe Schoen to upgrade the supporting cast for McCarthy before he takes over the starting job.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Dream scenario here for the Bolts. They stay at No. 5 and watch the best non-QB prospect in this class anyway.
With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams gone, the new regime of Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz waste no time pairing Marvin Harrison Jr. with Justin Herbert. Consider this a top-five pass-catching tandem for years to come.
6. Arizona Cardinals (Projected Trade With New York Giants): Rome Odunze
Arizona’s trade-down with the Giants here carries no risk. They stay in the top-10 and secure one of the “big three” wide receiver prospects for Kyler Murray in Rome Odunze.
We saw Murray play at an elite level when he had a healthy DeAndre Hopkins at his top target. With Odunze arriving, Murray won’t need long to return to peak form.
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt
The Titans have always put an emphasis on winning in the trenches. They used their 2023 first-rounder on a future All-Pro in Peter Skoronski, sure.
But the only thing better than one elite offensive tackle is TWO elite offensive tackles. So the Titans make Will Levis a very happy man here by giving him not one, but two future cornerstone pieces on the o-line to keep him upright.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner
It’d be a shocker if Atlanta didn’t address the defense in round one. They have a good secondary in place, but it’s long overdue for them to pair Grady Jarrett with another stud defensive lineman.
Adding an NFL-ready pass-rusher like Turner would put the Falcons that much closer to winning the NFC South title with Kirk Cousins also coming aboard.
9. Chicago Bears: Malik Nabers
The Bears can sit happily here and take another stud offensive weapon for Caleb Williams. Receiver isn’t a pressing need here, but Keenan Allen is on the wrong side of 30 and only on a one-year deal.
Williams, Nabers and DJ Moore would be a terrifying “big three” on offense for years to come.
10. New York Jets: Taliese Fuaga
Brock Bowers is also an option here if he’s available, but the Jets have enough playmakers for Aaron Rodgers. Adding a plug-and-play pass-blocking beast like Fuaga would be the cherry on top of a beautiful offensive line makeover by GM Joe Douglas.
11. New England Patriots (Projected Trade With Minnesota Vikings): Brock Bowers
The Patriots trade down and come away with a generational tight end prospect in Brock Bowers.
New England hasn’t had a game-wrecking offensive weapon since Rob Gronkowski, but Bowers has the skill set and insane athleticism to change that. He would single-handedly elevate an offense that has been stuck in the mud since Tom Brady’s departure.
12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix
The Broncos took a flier on former Jets QB Zach Wilson…but does Sean Payton actually think the former second overall pick can be the solution?
In this scenario, Payton takes a chance on Oregon’s Bo Nix — whose accuracy and ball placement has drawn comparisons to Drew Brees. Nix can sit for a year if need be, with Wilson and/or Jarrett Stidham serving as the bridge QB in 2024.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Terrion Arnold
Wouldn’t be shocked if Vegas went QB here, but defensive-minded head coach Antonio Pierce won’t wanna pass on the chance to draft the best cornerback in this class.
Arnold is the type of defensive weapon you want to combat Patrick Mahomes twice a year. The Raiders had a top-10 D last year but would reach a new level with Arnold patrolling the secondary.
14. New Orleans Saints: Olu Fashanu
We’d be shocked if the Saints did not go o-line here. Ryan Ramcyzk may retire because of an ongoing knee injury, and 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning hasn’t developed as hoped.
Derek Carr took way too many vicious hits last year. Fashanu can come in and clean up the mess immediately. Even if Ramczyk returns, the Saints can always shift Penning over to guard here.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell
The Colts are one true lockdown cornerback away from taking that next step on the defensive side of the ball.
Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell has the perfect combination of size, speed and football IQ to be an All-Pro corner in this league. This man racked up 37 picks last year and would be a headache for top receivers in the AFC South like Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II
The Seahawks’ had the second-worst rushing defense last year, allowing a pathetic 138.4 yards on the ground per game.
New head coach Mike Macdonald oversaw an elite run defense during his tenure in Baltimore, so he and GM John Schneider should jump on the chance to take the best interior defensive lineman in his class.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (Projected Trade With Jacksonville Jaguars): Amarius Mims
Projected trade alert! The Steelers acquire the No. 17 pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for the No. 20 and No. 119 selections.
With that pick, the Steelers find Broderick Jones’ running mate at offensive tackle in former Georgia teammate Amarius Mims. If Mims comes as advertised, the Steelers’ o-line will be a top-tier unit for the next decade-plus.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Laiau Latu
With Tee Higgins seemingly returning to Cincy for one more year, the Bengals don’t have to worry about receiver this early.
Trey Hendrickson is among the league’s elite pass rushers, but we can’t help but wonder how much better Cincy’s defense would be with another explosive guy off the edge. Latu, who had 23.5 sacks over his last two seasons, could be the final piece necessary to take this defense from “good” to “great.”
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse
The Rams have two stud pass-rushers in Byron Young and Kobie Turner, but they desperately need a third guy after losing franchise icon Aaron Donald to retirement.
Verse, who racked up 18 sacks over his last two seasons of college football, would give the Rams a terrifying pass-rushing trio for the long haul.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (Projected Trade With Pittsburgh Steelers): Cooper DeJean
Cornerback is the Jaguars’ biggest need, so getting DeJean after trading down with Pittsburgh would be a giant win for Trent Baalke and company.
DeJean’s size and physicality could give Jacksonville its first superstar cornerback since Jalen Ramsey. The perfect addition for a team that finished 26th against the pass last year.
21. Miami Dolphins: Troy Fautanu
The Dolphins also need a pass-rusher, but protecting the injury-prone Tua Tagovailoa has to be a priority.
Miami’s already-mediocre offensive line lost Robert Hunt in free agency. So how about adding the Washington Huskies standout who allowed only two sacks on 1,231 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus, over the 2022 and 2023 seasons?
22. Las Vegas Raiders (Projected Trade With Philadelphia Eagles): Michael Penix Jr.
Surprise, Raiders fans! Your team gets its QB in round one after all…at least in this exercise.
In this projected trade, the Raiders acquire the No. 22 pick from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the No. 44 selection and a 2025 first-round pick.
It’s a hefty price, but it’s something the Raiders gotta do. Penix Jr. has a promising skill set and could be the long-term franchise QB this team needs to compete in the AFC. There’s no issue with sitting for a year behind Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew before Penix Jr. takes the reins.
23. New England Patriots (Projected Trade With Minnesota Vikings): Brian Thomas Jr.
Who needs a QB when the Patriots can get the best tight end in this class and a top-five wide receiver prospect in LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr.?
Jacoby Brissett probably isn’t your long-term guy, but he’d have two explosive weapons in Bowers and Thomas Jr. to bolster this New England offense. Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo show Bill Belichick that it’s not so hard find stud pass-catchers!
24. Dallas Cowboys: JC Latham
The Cowboys lost longtime mainstay Tyron Smith and another quality starter in Tyler Biadasz, so addressing the voids is imperative in the early rounds.
Alabama’s JC Latham is also NFL-ready and can immediately slot in as a starter alongside Zack Martin and promising youngster Tyler Smith. Latham’s nastiness and elite pass-blocking abilities would be a nice offseason gift for Dak Prescott.
25. Green Bay Packers: Jackson Powers-Johnson
You just gotta think the Packers are taking an offensive tackle after cutting David Bakhtiari, right? I mean, you don’t release him and fail to sign an adequate replacement in free agency if you’re not planning to snag one in the draft.
Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson didn’t allow a single sack in 758 pass-blocking snaps over the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. Sounds to us like the missing piece on a Green Bay o-line that is otherwise stout and ready to go.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nate Wiggins
We’ve projected edge rushers aplenty in this draft for the Bucs. But if Nate Wiggins is available at No. 26, the Bucs should take the Clemson product.
Tampa had the fourth-worst pass D a year ago, and the secondary looks even worse after Carlton Davis was traded to the Detroit Lions. Here’s the chance for Tampa to find a potential All-Pro corner that could do wonders working alongside Antoine Winfield Jr.
27. Philadelphia Eagles (Projected Trade With Arizona Cardinals): Chop Robinson
Projected trade alert! The Cardinals move down a second time by trading the No. 27 pick to the Eagles in exchange for the No. 44 and No. 53 picks. Keep in mind the No. 44 selection came in our projected Eagles-Raiders trade at No. 22.
With the pick, the Eagles solidify their defensive line by adding Chop Robinson to a young group featuring Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and Jordan Davis. Robinson would help offset the departures of longtime mainstay Fletcher Cox and Haason Reddick.
28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell
We’d like to think this will be an easy call for GM Brandon Beane: Take the best remaining wide receiver and ensure Josh Allen has a true WR1 next year.
The departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis mean Buffalo has to add one stud receiver, unless they’re punting on 2024 for whatever reason. Spoiler alert: They’re not, so let’s pair up Allen with the Texas Longhorns star.
29. Detroit Lions: Jer'Zhan Newton
If Detroit is missing one thing, it’s one more game-changing defensive lineman to complement Aidan Hutchinson. Newton is a run-stopping beast and a menace of an interior pass-rusher. His scrappiness and physicality make Newton the perfect fit for a team that has built a “bully ball” identity
30. Baltimore Ravens: Ladd McConkey
The Ravens had a much more balanced offense during the 2023 regular season, thanks to the emergence of first-round pick Zay Flowers. But as the Kansas City Chiefs showed in the AFC Championship Game, Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson isn’t that hard to beat when you take away the ground game.
In other words, the Ravens need one more playmaking pass-catcher who can stretch the field and take pressure of Flowers and Mark Andrews. Imagine if Baltimore added McConkey to this offense that just added two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry?
31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan
The 49ers don’t have any glaring weaknesses, so consider this a bit of a luxury pick. That said, Trent Williams isn’t going to play forever, and the 49ers could use some extra depth on the offensive line.
Morgan has some cleaning up to do in pass protection, but his dominance as a run-blocker would make him the ideal fit for Kyle Shanahan’s rush-heavy offense.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy
The Chiefs will likely be without Rashee Rice for some time in 2024. And though we lived the signing of Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown in free agency, the fact remains that the ex-Cardinal has battled injury and consistency issues.
So yes, one more pass-catching weapon for Patrick Mahomes is necessary. Worthy is a boom-or-bust prospect, but who better to unlock his potential than Mahomes and Andy Reid?
Which 2024 NFL Draft prospect are you hoping your favorite NFL team will draft?
